1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to a system and method used on a server-client network by a server to discover clients that are connected to the network and to open communications sessions with the discovered client. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a server-client system operating on a network wherein the server broadcasts a beacon to the entire network through a particular port. Clients connected to the system listen on the particular port for the beacon, and if the beacon is detected, responds through the port with information that may then be used by the server to open a secure communication session with the client.
2. General Background and State of the Art
The delivery of therapy and the collection of patient data from bedside equipment, laboratory equipment and institutional information systems has become more integrated with the advent of more capable and reliable computer networks, faster and larger storage media, and the miniaturization of computer processors and memory. This technology has resulted in the inclusion of computer processors or microprocessors and memory in a wide variety of medical equipment. Inclusion of communications capability allows the processors and memory in the medical equipment to be tied into ward, department and institution wide networks. These networks allow for the exchange of information between various institutional information systems and individual medical devices. The devices may be therapy delivery devices, such as infusion pumps, or they may be vital signs measurement and data collection devices, including both bedside monitors and laboratory equipment.
As the complexity of therapeutic medication delivery has increased, one problem that has arisen is that there are more opportunities for error. Many different systems have been proposed to address the frequency of the medication error, such as the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,442, entitled “System and Method for collecting Data and Managing Patient Care” issued to Engleson et al., the subject matter of which is intended to be, and is, incorporated into and is a part of the subject matter of this provisional patent application. Another system is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0169636 entitled “System and Method for Managing Patient Care” by Eggers, the subject matter of which is intended to be, and is, incorporated into and is a part of the subject matter of this provisional patent application.
One problem that occurs with systems having many client medical devices is that it is necessary to ensure that the memory of the various devices on the system are updated frequently enough so that the devices have access to up-to-date patient information, therapeutic information, rule sets and patient specific medication guidelines. Until recently, it has been necessary for servers to poll each device connected to a network to determine if the device was connected to the network, and to then send the device any updated information. Such polling is resource and time intensive, and may decrease the efficiency and speed of the entire network.
This problem is particularly difficult where the medical devices utilize a media other than a hard wired network, such as a wireless network, or the internet. In these systems, individual medical devices may call the server through an access point of the wireless network, or over the internet, using either a dial-up, cable, DSL or wireless connection. In such systems, there is a potential security problem in that the networks are essentially wide open to requests for communication that come from an external source. The system must determine whether the communication request is coming from a secure medical device, or some un-secure source which should be prevented from establishing communication with the server.
What has been needed, and heretofore unavailable, is a system and method for discovering whether a client medical device is connected to the network and establishing a secure communication session through the network between the server and the medical device. Such a system should be reliable, robust and insure that communication sessions between server and client are secure.